15 Ideas for Celebrating Bastille Day in NYC (from a safe distance)

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In New York there will be no petanque competitions, no balls, no street fair and long hours on the terrace sipping pastis. Blame it on Covid-19. But that’s no reason to give up celebrating the 14th of July. At the initiative of the Consulate General in New York, United 4 Bastille Day, of which French Morning is a partner, brings together all the events organized, most of them online, to celebrate the Fête Nationale Française in these special circumstances for a whole week, from July 10-17.

A Creative July 14

The organisers have shown great imagination in inventing new and original events. For example, you will be able to meet fashion designer Anne Willi who, every day from July 10 to 17, will allow you to follow the whole process of creating her next summer collection, step by step. Available to stream on Instagram’s IGTV.

The choreographer Jean-Paul Mehansio, who is from the Ivory Coast, will organize a big virtual dance party, celebrating music and dance from West Africa for the Afropeps Ball. This event, which is aimed at young and old alike, is organized by FIAF, which is unable to hold its traditional street fair on 60th Street, and therefore has been organizing a large number of online events. Full list here.

Composer Philippe Treuille proposes to take you on the path of musical creation for a session for children – but also for adults. He will explain how to write music for an orchestra. Wednesday, July 15, at 5pm.

A Historic July 14

You can also use this as an opportunity to get a proper history lesson. Français du Monde-ADFE organizes a conference on the Marseillaise, by Francis Dubois (Wednesday 15 July at 6pm). Clément Thiery, journalist at France Amérique, will discuss the reputation of the French as historical “losers” in the United States: “The French, History’s all time losers?” (Wednesday, July 15th at 5 pm). For its part, Le Petit Journal will host Elsa Stephan, a professor at Columbia University, to talk about women in the French Revolution. July 13 at 1 pm.

A Cultural July 14

On Tuesday July 14th, at 11 am, JP Linguistics is organizing a conference with the MET: “Discussing French Art.” This session is part of a full day organized by the language school in collaboration with Time Out NY. From 9am to 5pm, there will be back to back sessions, live on Time Out’s Instagram account, to talk about culture, art de vivre and, of course, the French language.

On Thursday, at 12 pm, artist Vicky Colombet will discuss her upcoming exhibition with the curator of the Marmottan Museum, Marianne Mathieu, in dialogue with Claude Monet. On the same day, at 6 pm, sculptor Anne de Villemejanne will discuss the creative process with art historian Barbara Stehle.

A Gourmet July 14

You will have the opportunity, should you choose, to cook red, white, and blue. Chef Jean-Louis Gérin is offering to come and cook for a gala dinner at your home and – if you wish – to involve you as a sous-chef. Ladurée’s chef Jimmy Leclerc will teach you how to make an ispahan; pastry chef Nicolas Botomisy will teach you how to make a tarte tatin; Sébastien Baud, chef at the French Consulate, will give you the secrets to a perfect flan; Frédéric Aumenier will teach you how to make an exclusive recipe, as in the kitchens of a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

Find the complete list of events on Sorteer.com.

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